Cultivator



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. W. KRAUS. GULTIVATOR.

No. 449,546. Patented Mar. 31, 1891.

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J. W. KRAUS.

GULTIVATOR.

Patented Mar. 31,1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JACOB WQKRAUs, on STERLING, OHIO.-

CU LTIVATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,546, dated March 31, 1891.

Application filed December 22, 1890. fierial No. 375,473- (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JACOB \V. KRAUS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Sterling, in the county of IVayne and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cultivators, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in cultivators; and it consists in the novel construction and combination of parts as hereinafter disclosed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my cultivator, the axle-adjusting hook being shown disengaged from its retaining-plate. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a front View; Fig. 4, a rear elevation, and Fig. 5 a transverse sectional view of the same.

In the embodiment of my invention I employ a rear transverse bar A, to which are firmly or rigidly secured the rear ends of the bars B forming the tongue.

Pivotally connected to the beam A, upon its under side at the ends, are the short axles C 0, adapted to afford rests at their inner ends for and to be actuated by the feet of the rider for guiding the machine. The axles are adapted to be moved simultaneously or together, having secured to fixed blocks or studs a thereon arms D D, through which pass the pivot-bolts of said axles, and which are connected together by a connecting bar or yoke E, pivoted at its ends to the forward ends of said arms. The yokeE is preferably armed with wearing-plates b b, one applied to its upper surface somewhat tapered or inclined from its center toward the ends, and the other plate is applied to the under side of said yoke, said plates having the pivot-bolts passing through them at the ends, also passing through the forward ends of the arms or plates D D.

Upon the upper wearing-plate .7), near one end, is secured a holding-plate F, having two slots 0 c, of different lengths, and an aperture c alongside of one slot.

F is a hook having one end bent and pivoted into a right-angled bracket or plate (I, fastened into one of the tongue-bars, the horizontal arm or portion of said bracket projecting underneath and sufficiently below said bar to receive between them the thickness of said hook and having an aperture to receive the pivot end of said hook, thus retaining the latter in place perfectly free to be manipulated as required. The outer free end of the hook F is adapted to engage either of the slots 0 c in the plate F, to provide for varyingthe extent of adjustment of the axles, permitting of turning the cultivator more or less acutely, or by engaging the hook with the aperture 0 the axles are held from any movement.

G G are the shovel-standard beams having their forward ends clipped to the vertical portions or arms of an inverted-U-shaped yoke H, firmly connected to the under side of the tongue-barsB both directly and by means of braces G, said beams being adapted to swing at their rear ends horizontally and vertically. The beams G G are suspended near their rear ends by hanger-rods connected at their lower ends to said beams and having their upper ends connected to the sides of the tongue-bars B. The hanger-bars I I are pivoted at their upper ends to the rear side of connecting bar or yoke E and at their lower ends in staple-like eyes 6, projecting from the outer sides of said beams.

I J is a bell-crank lever pivoted at its angle to the rear side of the connecting bar or yoke E, and having one branch connected by a linkbar K to one hanger-bar I, and its other branch or prong connected also by a linkbar L to the other hanger guide-bar I, while the handle portion of said lever is connected by a link-rod f to one end of a right-angled hand-lever M, suitably pivoted upon the bar A, within convenient grasp of the rider or operator. Therefore by actuating the lever M,

having for its retention at the required point of adjustment a spring-pressed pawl g, engaging a segmental rack 71, secured upon the bar A, the shovel-beams can be spread apart or be brought closer together, according to the movement of said lever, thus providing for cultivating according to the width of the rows of the plants.

The shovel-standards N are pivotally connect-ed at their upper ends to the beams G, near the outer ends thereof, and have toggle connections therewith adapted to permit the standards, in case of contact of their shovels with an unyielding obstruction, themselves to yield and after passing said obstructions to automatically return to their normal or working position, thus preventing the breaking of the same. These toggle connections each consist of parallel obtuse angled plate -like bars l, pivoted at their angles to the rear end of each beam G, and farther down to the u pper cured upon the upper side of the beam, and

upon this rod is arranged a springn, normally retaining the shovel'standard in its working position, consequently contracting and permitting the outward or rearward deflection of the standard when the shovel of the latter meets an obstruction and by its recoil or distention automatically restoring the standard to its former position, as above intimated.

Having thus fully described my invention, what Iclaim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a cultivator, the combination, with the short axles having fixed arms standing horizontally and at right angles thereto and connected together by a connecting bar or yoke, of a plate fixed to said yoke and adapted with the aid of suitable means to effect the differential adjustment or retention in a fixed position of said short axles, substantially as specified.

9. In a cultivator, the combination, with the yoked or connected short axle-arms, of the beams and the bell'crank lever linked to the hanger guide-bars of said beams and to the yoke or connection between said arms, and means for actuating said lever, substantially as specified.

3. In a cultivator, the combination, with the short axles and the arms having a fixed connection therewith and connected togetherby a bar or yoke, of the beams suspended from arms of rockshaft, the hanger guide bars having theirlower ends passing down through eyes or stirrups projecting from said beams, the bell-crank lever pivoted at its fork to said yoke or bar and having its prongs or branches connected by links to said hanger guide-bars, and the right-angled hand-lever having a link-rod connection with the handle portion of said bell-crank lever, substantially as described.

4t. In a cultivator, the combination, with the short axles and their fixed arms, of the connecting bar or yoke having the holding-plate provided with differential slots and an aperture, and the hook adapted to engage said slots and aperture, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I a'flix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB W. KRAUS. \Vitnesses:

J oHN LEE, J12, F. A. I'IOUGHTON. 

